NBA Chat With Bill Ingram 5/28/12

Catch up on the latest news, rumors and predictions with HOOPSWORLD’s Bill Ingram every Monday at 11:00 AM Eastern.

Bill covers the entire NBA and is based in Dallas, Texas, home of the reigning NBA champion Dallas Mavericks. He has been an NBA analyst since 1998, when he and Steve Kyler founded HOOPSWORLD. He can be heard on radio stations across the country and his work has also appeared in USA Today.

You can follow Bill on Twitter by linking here: @TheRocketGuy.

  1. Wil

    Hi Bill, happy Memorial Day. What are your thoughts on McHale? I wasn’t thrilled with the hire, but once again, the team seemed to over-achieve; so does Lowry and others have a legitimate gripe about McHale? What is the issue?

    • Bill Ingram

      Good Morning, Everyone, and welcome a special Memorial Day chat! I want to start by dedicating this chat to my dad, Roger Ingram, who served in Vietnam and is a proud veteran of the United States Air Force. Thanks to all of you who have served and are serving our country. On to the NBA – Honestly, I wasn’t thrilled at the McHale hire. He has never enjoyed coaching, and will tell you as much if you ask him. In the NBA, as in many areas, it’s not WHAT you know, but WHO you know, and after trying to get in with former Celtics teammate Rick Carlisle in Dallas and also lobbying for a job in OKC, McHale finally found a spot in Houston, where Daryl Morey came up in the Celtics’ organization. There was a lot of frustration among the players this season, from Kevin Martin being ticked about playing time to Marcus Morris being unable to make McHale understand that he’s a small forward, not a power forward. Kyle was among a group that went to McHale and asked if they could run some Adelman plays when they were struggling to score, and McHale refused. I talked to Kyle yesterday and he said he wasn’t necessarily asking for McHale to be fired . . .he just wants to win in the worst way and doesn’t see that happening in Houston as things stand right now. I can’t help but agree with him. Mediocrity usually isn’t tolerated for this long.

  2. Flute

    Do u think Iverson will get signed this summer..Clearly a few teams can use him..starting with the knicks and the bobcats even the lakers if they get rid of blake

    • Bill Ingram

      I will be shocked if Allen Iverson ever plays in the NBA again. He’s burned too many bridges, saying the right things to get signed, then completely melting down and making crazy demands like he did in Memphis. Great player? Yes. Good for a locker room and overall team atmosphere? Not a chance.

  3. Lior

    Lowry is going Howard on McHale. Also, says he probably can’t coexist with Dragic. What’s going on? Any inside info?

    • Bill Ingram

      Lots of questions about Lowry and now Dwight is part of it, so let me answer this one as a way of responding to a lot of people asking similar questions. The Rockets have a LOT of interest in Dwight Howard, and see his injury and the negative press as a way of perhaps rising to the top in terms of what teams are willing to offer Orlando. The Magic want to keep Dwight, but they also feel that if they can’t get him to at least verbally commit long-term they may deal him on draft night. The Rockets have everything Orlando could ask for if they’re going to rebuild – young, talents prospects, to two first round picks, etc. If Orlando decides to trade Dwight, injured or not the Rockets will fight to get to the front of the line, even if it’s just a one-year rental. They feel they can convince him to stay. As for Dragic . . .the Rockets want to keep him, but he wants to start, and while he loves Houston – LOVES Houston – he wouldn’t mind being a few miles up highway 45 if Deron Williams doesn’t land in Dallas.

  4. Sean

    Hey Bill! Two part question, If the Rockets stay at 14 and 16 in the draft, who would you like them to grab? What’s going on with Lowry?!

    • Bill Ingram

      See previous comments on Lowry. ;) As for 14 and 16 – I’ll be surprised if that’s where the Rockets land. They would deal both picks to move up, and they would deal both picks to land Dwight or another significant player in trade. That said, if the Rockets do draft in those slots, I wouldn’t mind seeing Quincy Miller – who has been killing it working with John Lucas this month – and Tyler Zeller. Meyers Leonard if Zeller is off the board.

  5. Peter

    Happy Playoffs Bill! If Miami loses to Boston in the Conf finals this yr, do you think Riley will think about breaking up the Big 3? Will he sack Spoelstra and come down to coach? HEAT’s big 3 just don’t have the same chemistry as the Spurs or Celtics’ big 3. Maybe its time to face the reality that its not working :( thoughts?

    • Bill Ingram

      That’s a big “if.” If LeBron is actually going to show up late in games, like he did in the last game in Indiana, Boston is in trouble. Of course the Celtics have guys who can create off the dribble, which is where the Pacers struggled most against Miami. My point being that it’s a little too early to write off Miami. But if the do lost to Boston or to the Western Conference champs, I think we’ll see a lot of rumors around Chris Bosh. You can’t afford to pay 3 players $20 million a season in the new NBA economy, and the Heat are going to have to unload one of them to avoid extreme luxury tax penalties. I’m not a big Spoelstra fan, as his primary gameplan is just iso, iso, iso, and he doesn’t get creative when that doesn’t work. So I could see him being gone, too, but first we have to see if anyone can beat Miami. Then we can talk about what went wrong and what didn’t. Of course, my preference is a Boston/Anyone NBA Finals. ;)

  6. alan

    Bill, you are very familiar with Hte Rockets organization. How serious is the Lowry-McHale dispute? Also, does Houston still have interest in Gasol?

    • Bill Ingram

      Extremely . . .and the Rockets would likely go after Pau again IF they can’t get Dwight. Pau is most effective when playing center, and Houston would put him back in that position if D12 doesn’t happen.

  7. Frank

    Hi Bill,
    Hope all is well. 1)How about DAL-Clips trade Mo.Wms for ODOM? Mavs get a “younger” Jet and Odom goes “home”. 2)Assume a MIA-HOU trade of BOSH for Dlmbr,Scola & Chase B. Mia gets depth and HOU gets a BIG. Thoughts? Thanks.

    • Bill Ingram

      Hey Frank! Had some time to update the blog this week . . .you’ll likely enjoy the new entries. ;) 1) That’s not a bad idea, though we’ve been told the Clippers have no interest in Odom. That was before he completely quit on Dallas, so I can’t imagine they have changed their minds. 2) That trade makes a great deal of sense for both teams, with the caveat that Houston has to land a starting center – Dwight and Bosh would be amazing. Bosh alone does nothing for Houston that Scola isn’t basically already doing.

  8. Frank

    Hi Bill
    1) Assume this Laker-Rox-Minn trade:
    LA gives Gasol and gets Lowry, Beasly,Martel W. & A.Randolph. HOU gives Lowry & KevMart and gets Gasol. Min gives Beasly,Martel W. & A. Randolph and gets KevMart. Thoughts? 2)Do the Rox keep Lowry or Goran? What do Lowry’s comments mean to the organization? Thanks.

    • Bill Ingram

      The Rockets really love Lowry – and balked at a Gasol trade when the Lakers insisted on getting Kyle. Dragic is no sure thing, so they can’t afford to give up Kyle until he’s re-signed, even if they were willing to do so. The Rockets’ idea scenario is to have both Kyle and Goran at point and playing together at times, but if they can’t get the big man they need it’s easy to see them deciding they can trade Kyle if Dragic is back under contract. Not likely at this point, but that’s possible.

  9. Lior

    Are the Rockets still trying to get Howard as a rental? I don’t think they have a shot. A lot of teams have better trade packages (Lakers, NJ, Chicago, to name a few). Also, who says no for a Bosh for Lowry & Scola trade?

    • Bill Ingram

      See, that’s what I think Miami needs. Lowry . . .assuming they give up Bosh, as has been widely speculated. But a lot of teams have better trade packages for Bosh, too. The Suns are rumored to have considered a Nash-for-Bosh scenario, and Nash is exactly what they need – a true distributor who understands who needs the ball in which situations. The Lakers have a better package with Bynum, but they aren’t going to trade him – for internal political reasons as much as anything. NJ has backed off of the amazing package they offered before the season started. Chicago says they have no interest. Houston could pull it off if the Magic are backed into a corner by Dwight.

  10. calvinzero

    The statement of Mitch Kupchak signs that the Lakers are desperate in roster adjustments. Is there any pronouncement from them that they want Andre Iguodala? Is Gasol trade rumor still alive, what’s your take here? Thanks Bill.

    • Bill Ingram

      The Lakers just lost in the second round for the second year in a row, and they have one of the greatest players to ever play the game nearing the end of his career. Yes, I would say Mitch is anxious to make some moves. Problem is, outside of Gasol (they won’t trade Bynum, according to Jim Buss) they don’t have much to offer in trade. So I think Gasol will be dealt, and they will require the receiving team to take Blake or perhaps Artest, as well. I’ve heard them linked to Iggy, yes, and a number of teams are interested in Andre if the Sixers decide to deal him – Houston included.

  11. devonte

    can toney douglas be traded for a late first round pick or a early second round pick?

    • Bill Ingram

      He’s under contract, so sure. He’s a nice player, too . . .i see your other questions about trading Amar’e – now that Otis Smith is no longer an NBA GM it seems unlikely that the Knicks can move that terrible contract, esp given Stoudemire’s back situation.

  12. Geoff

    What would be your plans for the kings roster if you were gm? …. Draft? Trades?

    • Bill Ingram

      I actually really like what they have going on, especially with Smart running the show. I would draft Harrison Barnes and then look to move John Salmons and Tyreke Evans to teams that need wing scoring. Boston is going to have roster spots to fill, and Chicago might be interested if they let Korver walk. Toronto is also said to have interest in Tyreke. Kings are a playoff team in two years . . .

  13. blzbo

    What are the realistic possibilities for the Magic trading Howard? Would the Nets trade the #1-#3 pick plus some other pieces for Howard? Any chance to dump some bad contracts? Who can we get to upgrade our point guard position?

    • Bill Ingram

      Pretty hard to see Orlando doing a deal with NJ that doesn’t involve Brook Lopez landing in Orlando, and with Dwight being injured and the Nets just coming off of an entire season lost to injuries, that seems doubtful. Also, I don’t think you get Orlando to take bad contracts when we’re talking about trading the best center in the game. The Nets would have to give until it hurts, and I’m not sure they’re willing to do that at this point. They may not need to.

  14. Mario

    Hey bill what moves if any do you think the bulls should make and if it is time to make some moves do you think that the bulls should finally step out there and like joel brigham said in the article versus mark nugent I think taking chances wins championships and the bulls have to get a little ballsy and take some risk I think

    • Bill Ingram

      If they had lost in the first round WITH Derrick Rose, yes, absolutely, big changes are needed. But they only lost because Rose was out and Deng and Noah were banged up. Don’t mess with what works . . .and Chicago works. They’re basically young, extremely talented, and will be picked by many to win the East next season without a single change. Keep the band together, a tweak here or there, possibly, but certainly don’t start blowing anything up.

  15. Joe Shafer

    Did you read the interview with Donatas Montiejunas? Don’t know if he will be able to make a big difference in the NBA, but he has prototypical PF size and he definitely said all the right things! Do you agree that Martin and now possibly Lowry should be moved?

  16. Dallas

    Hey Bill, what are you hearing out of Toronto, will BC be looking to make a draft day deal with the room created in the Barbosa deal?

    Also, BC is now entering final year of his deal, you think there’s any chance he leaves, whether by his own wishes or managements?

    • Bill Ingram

      I think the deal was structured that way to add motivation, and it has worked. The pressure is on next season, with everyone healthy, Valanciunas in the mix, another lottery pick – the job is Bryan’s to win or lose, and he has been given all the tools to be successful. They have plenty of cap space, and plan to target OJ Mayo as well as Goran Dragic . . .this will be a big summer for the Raptors, and the sky’s the limit next season.

  17. Lil Kay

    Whut up bro?
    Who will da Mavs target if Deron doesnt come home? Should they rebuild n trade Dirkulez?

    • Bill Ingram

      They won’t trade Dirk . . .It’s Deron Williams, then Steve Nash, though if you talk to anyone in their front office there is an extreme amount of confidence that Williams will be a Maverick next season. The Mavs have a LOT of work to do to put a contending team in place, Deron Williams or no Deron Williams.

  18. John Greig

    Who is the best fit the Wolves can get to play for Adelmen at the two and three? We Need an upgrade BAD.

    • Bill Ingram

      They LOVE Courtney Lee, OJ Mayo and even Kevin Martin. Lee and Mayo are likely to be restricted free agents, Martin would have to be acquired via trade, but Houston would happily do that. Terrence Ross could help their small forward needs in the draft . .

  19. Scott

    Do the Clips pick up the option on VDN at the end of the week or do they go in a different direction? Who do you like for them, Sloan, SVG, Malone, McMillan?

    • Bill Ingram

      We’re told the team is not completely decided on that subject. It’s awfully tempting to have a long conversation with Stan Van Gundy, Nate McMillan or Sloan – more proven head coaches who would likely take the Clips to the next level.

  20. Jeff

    Bill, Okafor rebounds, plays D and yes, is overpaid. But why all the talk by some of Amnesty. Does he have no trade value? And its not like NOH desperately need cap space. I dont get it.

    • Bill Ingram

      I think that’s driven by his injury situation. If he were able to get healthy there’s NO reason to amnesty him. Lots of teams would give up assets to acquire him.

  21. Larry

    hey Bill
    would KG or Tim D be interested in joining Heat. Everything being equal, KG would be perfect fit for Heat

    • Bill Ingram

      KG perhaps, but Duncan will never wear any jersey other than that of the Spurs.

  22. champsworld504

    what’s the chances of my hornets re-signing Eric Gordon to a respectable contract and not a max deal? And the chances of the N.O’s getting picks 1 and 2?

    • Bill Ingram

      Alright – last question, everyone! I fully expect Eric Gordon to sign a new contract with the Hornets this summer. He is their top priority. Whether or not it’s a max deal depends on what other offers might be out there. I know Indiana would love to have him, but they see him as unattainable. As for the picks – obviously the chances of getting 1 and 2 are remote, but wouldn’t that be something??? It would make me a believer in Karma. :) Thanks, as always, for spending some of your Memorial Day with us here at HOOPSWORLD. If you were late getting to the chat you can always drop me a question on Twitter – @TheRocketGuy.